A Web of Lies
by Wingyin87
Summary: In the end, Katara chose Zuko, not Aang. Zuko choose Katara, not Mai. Do they regret that now? Zutara. Mai x Aang.
1. Bombshell

**Web of Lies...**

**By: Wingyin87**

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar. Mike and Bryan do.

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I hear Zuko's breath catch when he sees _her _and_ him_ chatting casually and laughing. Even _she_ is laughing. The reserved, quiet, emotionless....._what?_

_Mai?_

_What? How...but? Mai? Of all people, it has to be Mai, and my former lover...._

_Aang?_

_How did they......_

_In fact I don't want to know._

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Katara and Zuko looked up. Both the Fire Lord and Lady were sending murderous glares at the small couple. Zuko, of course, was glaring at Aang, but Katara was glaring at Mai. They stilled and listened.

Katara thought of the past.

Mai's child was illegitimate. No one knew who her child's father was. She wasn't married, but still. Mai's child's name was called Adain. But, the father was presumed dead. He had silver eyes, like his mother, and jet black hair. Definitely Fire Nation in terms of stock and looks.

Aang's child was also illegitimate. No one knew who his child's mother was. He also wasn't married. His child's name was named Gyatso. He had green eyes, and dark brown hair. Probably Earth Kingdom.

But, curiously, there was another child between them. And curiously, that child's name was Kaiya. Like a combination of Mai's mother, and Aang's father. And _this _had Mai's jet black hair, and Aang's grey eyes.

_It couldn't be......_

_Did they get....._

_Married?_

Mai may have been a factor of Aang's loss of contact over the years. Katara faintly heard Mai's child speak.

"Dad,"

_WHAT????_

"Can I have sip of wine?"

Aang laughed uproarishly. "Of course not, Adain. You have to wait until you're 17..."

"Ahem."

Mai looked slightly amused, as Aang flustered and said, "I mean, 18, then it becomes good, er...very good."

Zuko simply looked pained.

"Come on Aang," Zuko heard Mai tell the younger boy, "It's time for the children to get to bed." The couple took the children's hands and led them to Mai's old house. Zuko knew this because he saw Mai and the Avatar go to her house last night. Zuko and Katara donned black cloaks and quickly followed the younger couple. They watched as they disappeared into Mai's house. He nodded, then they climbed to the roof. They looked into one of the windows and saw the three children get ready for bed. Mai and Aang were in there, tucking in their kids. Mai kissed each child on the forehead, while Aang looked on fondly from the door. Mai and Aang left, to Mai's room.

Katara noted something odd.

They had gone to Mai's room.

Together.

Zuko paled and climbed the roof to the other side of the house. It took about 15 minutes. He dreaded what he was about to see.

Mai and Aang were on the bed together. They looked deeply asleep.

Aang had his arm around Mai's waist, and her arm was draped over his middle.

Zuko grimaced and winced. Katara had the exact same reaction.

Zuko and Katara thought back.

_That's why Mai had left the palace for a year. She was with child. Many had known, but nobody had known that she was married, not even Ty Lee. She had left a note._

_My Lord,_

_I am sorry for this adrupt note, but I need  
to go for at least a year. I apologize and I hope  
to see you soon._

_-Mai. May you live long and burn brightly._

She had gotten married. To Aang.

The Avatar.


	2. Their Life

**Web of Lies...**

**By: Wingyin87**

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar. Mike and Bryan do.

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"When are we going to tell Zuko and Katara that we got married?"

Aang look at the person next to him. "Why?"

"Didn't you feel them glaring at us yesterday?" Mai questioned.

"Of course. I think Adain could tell! That's how bad it was."

"I bet they think that Kaiya is another illegitimate child."

"No, Kaiya is not an illegitimate child. She's our child."

Mai rolled over and smiled. She leaned over and kissed him.

Surprisingly, with the speed born only to Airbenders, she found herself pinned by her husband. He kissed her again.

She pushed at him lightly, "Get off, Mr. Avatar, I have a court session to attend."

"It can wait." he pouted in his adorable way.

"Aang."

"Fine. You'll owe me later."

However, Mai did lean up and kiss him again. He opened his mouth, and Mai's tongue flicked at his lightly. She pulled back, and smirked lightly.

"Come on, Aang, we were ordered by the Fire Lord to attend this trial."

Mai slipped into the bathroom, with Aang closer behind. She sank into the hot water, and Aang sank in beside her. And, it wasn't dusk yet.

Around ten minutes later, Mai rose from the water and dried, and donned her tradition Fire Nation robes, and fastened on her wrist holsters. She did her hair into a single bun at the back off the head and a single lock of hair flowed down onto her back. Aang dressed next. She turned to him, about to say something, but whatever she was about to say, it was warped into a muffled squeal as Aang kissed her. "You look beautiful today, Mai."

"You say that all the time. Now, I have to make breakfast for the kids."

Mai went towards the fireplace and Aang went towards the kid's room to ask them to wake up. After another 15 minutes, he got them all out of bed and into the bath to wash. Another 15 minutes, he got them into their clothes and downstairs for breakfast.

Aang called, "You kids have to train after breakfast okay? Adain, I would like to see your firebending. Gyatso, I want to see your airbending, and Kaiya, you can have Mom overlook your shurikan training." They all nodded quickly.

**A/N: I love this pairing. Seriously. Mai is just slightly older. Mai x Aang is hot. Except Mailee. Mailee is hotter.**

**LOL!! I'll update tomorrow.**

**Good day to all,**

**Wingyin87.**


	3. History

**Web of Lies...**

**Wingyin87**

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Katara woke up when she noticed that her husband was not next to her in bed. She felt around, and noticed that the spot was very cold.

_Where did her go? I'll ask the guards. No, I will find him myself. _

But of course, she couldn't help but feel betrayed.

Did her's and Zuko's former lovers turn to each other for comfort? Did it warp into something else later on?

_Argh! I even think that Kaiya is Mai and Aang's daughter. Who else can have dark grey eyes, and black hair, and is a prodigious shruikan expert? Besides Mai, of course._

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Zuko was at _their_ house. Once again, he climbed to the roof. He watched Aang help Adain and Gyatso with their bending, and he watched Mai help Kaiya with her knife-throwing. Mai was partially facing him, and the movement was not missed. He watched as she gracefully rose from her spot on the training grounds and walked towards Aang. She kissed him on the cheek then she said something to him. He nodded and yelled, "Gyatso, watch and learn." He spun his glider and took off.

Aang grinned and looked for Zuko. He saw him crawling away at the roof, and with a gust of air, blew him off the roof and boxed him into and earth box. he stomped on the ground and Zuko landed in front of Mai.

_"Zuko."_ She hissed. "What are you doing here?"

"Yeah, Zuko," Aang cut in, "That's what I'd like to know. And you were here last night too. With Katara, right?"

Zuko flushed, "Yeah, what's that to you."

Mai simply said, "Adain, Gyatso, and Kaiya, please go into the house."

The three filed into the house. Zuko noticed that they were all in the house. "Release him Aang," Mai said. "Sure!" He stomped again, and the earth returned to the earth. However, the next second, he was pinned to the ground.

Mai looked haughtily at him. "Now tell us, _Zuko_, why are you here?"

"I just wanted to talk to you."

Mai raised a sardonic brow, "About?"

"Who the father of Adain is."

Mai turned away, "You know him, Zuko. Remember that summer at Ember Island? The guy who was talking to me, and you shoved him across the room? It's him."

Zuko's mouth hit the floor. Well, he's already on the floor. "Roun Jian?!"

"Yeah. He knew how to treat a girl. Except for this one right here." She nodded towards Aang. "Roun Jian knew my feelings, he knew about my past. And I fell for him. So I ran into him at night, and you know....we went that far. Two monthes later, I told him I was pregnant. He couldn't take it. He ran off, and left me. Then, eight monthes pregnant, I ran into Aang. He took care of me, when I need it most. Unlike you, Zuko," she added nastily, "Who broke up with me with a _letter_. For the _second_ time. From you, who couldn't even look me in the eye, when you kept, over and over, breaking up with me. Roun Jian helped mend my heart. But it was Aang that fixed it. That's why I'm here."

Zuko closed his eyes, "What about you, Aang."

"I ran into a girl in Ba Sing Se in the Lower Ring. She said that there was a boy called Li, who dumped her, when she caught him on date with a knife-thrower." He threw a look at the Fire Lord. "Of course I knew who she was talking about. Who couldn't? A guy with a scar across his right eye?"

"I had run into her after Katara left to you. She was nearly insane. Then I helped her then, I'll let you guess what happened."

Zuko groaned, "You're talking about Jin, right?"

"Now get the hell out of here, Zuko," Mai snapped. "If I see you here again, I guess that, Iroh will ascend to the throne, won't he?"

Zuko winced, "I'm going, I'm going."

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Katara walked through the halls of the Royal Palace. She saw Zuko walking dejectedly towards her.

"I need to get ready for.....trial....Azula....and.....Ty Lee.....ugh," And he collasped.

"Zuko?!"

He snapped back into reality. "Sorry? What happened?"

"You fainted for like, three seconds."

"Oh."

"Trial."

"Right, right."

"I'm going."

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Mai walked towards the door for spectators to watch the trial. She saw pink.

_Ty Lee. Azula. No._

She watched closely.

"Ty Lee of the Fire Nation. You have been charged of attempted murder of the Fire Lord, seven accounts of terrorism, and an attempted murder of Avatar Aang. What do you plead?" The Fire Lord's voice rang throughout the room. Mai winced. "Guilty, my Lord."

The Fire Lord said, "You do not want to plead innocence, or at least, try to defend yourself?"

"No, my Lord," came Ty Lee's voice. "i did everything you stated. I do not deserve to plead innocence."

_No, Ty Lee. DON'T give up!_

"Very well then," The Fire Lord said, "You are hereby banished from the Fire Nation and any colonies of the Fire Nation. You are dismissed."

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**A/N: Ty Lee's awesome. couldn't just leave her out. There is a reason for mentioning her. But, i'll have to update first.**

**Please review.**

**doctor anthony: I apologize for the shortness of the chapter. I'll try to make chapters longer. Thanks for reviewing****, by the way.**

**Wingyin87**


	4. Thoughts

**Web of Lies**

**By: Wingyin87**

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Zuko was furious.

Scratch that.

He was pissed.

_How...how.....how could she?_

_I mean, really, the Avatar?_

_Why didn't she at least try to..._

_**But no, **the little voice in his head said,**you did choose Katara after all. Why didn't you pay attention? Didn't you see her after you got married to Katara? She was broken.**_

_I did pay attention, the otherside side of himself said. She looked perfectly fine. Besides, I love Katara._

**_Really? I was under the assumption that when Mai said 'no' to your proposal you got angry and threw the ring in her face. And after that, 2 short months later, you got engaged to Katara._**

_So? That doesn't mean I don't love Katara._

**_Don't kid yourself. You know you love Mai._**

_No! I love Katara!_

**_Suit yourself. It's your loss after all._**

The voice sounded like Toph's voice. Exceptionally like Toph's blunt, mocking voice.

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Mai was shaken. Seeing her former friend, broken, and un-smiling scared her. She positively ran towards her estate house.

"Aang! Azula......Ty Lee.....trial.......noose......exile....."

"What? Zuko personally told me that Azula would be okay, and Ty Lee would be allowed to remain in the homeland." Aang raised a quizzical eyebrow.

"No," Mai gasped out, panting, Ty Lee is banished, and Azula is sentenced to the noose."

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Katara was not happy.

_How could he, I....I thought he loved me!_

_Then, when Zuko just asked, I.....I couldn't refuse._

**_You wanted to. You knew Aang was carving a betrothal necklace for you._**

_Yeah? So what? I won't have accepted it anyway. I never loved him._

**_Don't lie. If you do love ZUko, why are you angsting over it? You should be happy Aang is with someone he loves._**

_I am._

**_*snort* Don't kid yourself. You love him. Don't deny it._**

The voice sounded exceptionally like Azula. Exceptionally like Azula's cold, calculating, sneering voice.

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Aang strided towards the throne room, Mai following closely behind.

As soon as Zuko looked up, he knew he was in trouble. Mai walked up and stopped 20 paces from the throne, knelt and pressed her forehead to the cold, black marble. She stayed in that position for 10 seconds.

As soon as she rose she said, "My Lord. I was under the impression that Ty Lee would allowed to remain in the homeland, and Azula would be banished."

Zuko scowled, "Azula deserves to be punished. And Ty Lee was her accomplice."

His frown deepened when Aang walked up and put his arm around Mai's waist.

"Yes, Zuko, you did mention and promise that T y Lee would be allowed to remain in the homeland. And, Azula would be exiled."

Zuko sneered, "What does this have to do with you anyway? You're just..."

Mai cut in, "You're no better than your father. At least your father kept his promises."

Zuko opened his mouth to snarl back, then shut it adruptly.

His former love had a knive spinning between her fingers.

"I am going to free Azula and Ty Lee from prison," she said. "And I will personally take them to Ba Sing Se. I will use my personal money to let them live a nice life in the Upper Ring. Good day to you Fire Lord Zuko."

"You don't have the right to do that, Lady Mai." The Fire Lord called, "I could throw you in prison for treason."

She snapped.

"I don't have the right?" She hissed at him, "I don't? Don't you know my position? I belong to all four nations! It's _you_ who doesn't have a right to throw me in a Fire Nation prison for treason."

"Yes, Zuko," Aang agreed. "You throw my wife in prison, the Fire Nation loses its allies. I am the only thing connecting the Earth Kingdom, and Water Tribes to the Fire Nation. You would do well to agree with my wife's plan."

They left together.

Zuko banged him head on the dais.

_How could I forget that she is the Avatar's wife? Stupid! And I threatened the throw her in prison too! How stupid can I get?! I mean, the Avatar's wife! Stupid, stupid. How could I also forget that she belongs to all nations! I am so STUPID! Seriously, how stupid can I get? _

**_A whole lot more stupid, I think._**

"SHUT UP!" he yelled at the voice in his head, causing the Imperial Guards to look at him.

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**A/N: Hmmm.......Not as long as I hoped for. Oh, well, I'll work on the chapter length.**

**I, on the other hand, won't be updating as often because of the tremedous amounts of work I have.**

**If you want to know how old I am, I am 13-99 years old. I'll let you guess.**

**Cheers! (CURSE YOU SILVEREYES12 FOR DRILLING THIS IN MY HEAD!!!!!)**

**Wingyin87**


	5. Thoughts II

**A Web of Lies**

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_**Like I said earlier, **said a voice in Zuko's head**, you didn't see Mai broken-hearted. I can even tell you how she was feeling. She was feeling abandoned, alone, awful, burned, crushed, debased, defeated, degraded, dejected....**_

"SHUT UP!" Zuko roared.

**_...demolished, depressed, desolate, despairing, despised, despondant, destroyed, discarded, discouraged, dismal, downcast, downhearted, downtrodden, dreadful, excluded, forlorn......_**

"I SAID, SHUT UP!"

**_..forsaken, gloomy, hopeless, hurt, lonely, ruined, afflicted, anguished, pained..._**

"Why am I talking to myself?" Zuko asked himself.

**_Got a guilty conscience?_**

"No!"

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Mai stood at the front of the prison tower, mentally preparing herself for what she was going to do. She knew FIre Lord Zuko would not be pleased, but who was she to care?

She braced herself and entered the prison tower, and headed for Azula's and Ty Lee's cell. She withdrew one knife from her wrist holsters and jiggled the lock until she heard a click.

"Hello, Azula, Ty Lee." Mai said quietly.

"What do you want?" snarled Azula. "It's not like you've always come down here and visit."

"Yeah, Mai," Ty Lee quipped in sadly, "This is the first time you've come down and visited."

Mai snarled back, "Well sorry I have a work load, too."

"A work load?!" Azula and Ty Lee cried. "You didn't get married to Zuko, so why do you have a workload?"

Mai smoothly knelt to their height and said bitingly, "Who would have a heavier workload: The Fire Lord's wife, or the Avatar's wife?"

"You're the Avatar's wife?!"

"Indeed."

"GET OUT!" That was Azula.

"LEAVE! NO PERSON ASSOCIATED WITH THE AVATAR SHALL VISIT ME!"

And with that, Mai stood, and glanced at Azula haughtily. "I was going to let you out, and take you with me to a house in Ba Sing Se, but since you don't want me here, then I'll give it away to someone else."

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**_You ought to learn more politics. Mai would have been a much better job than you._**

"Shut up!" Yelled Katara. "I wasn't borned in the Fire Nationj like the rest, I was just here!

**_Still, Fire Lady Katara, Mai would have done a much better job in the Senate. Look how others look at you. Brown hair, and tanned skin, and Mai with black hair, and pale skin._**

"I DON'T CARE!!"

**_It's your loss, after all._**

The guards banged on the door. One poked his head in, "Are you all right, my Lady."

Katara turned icy blue eyes on him, "Of course, now get OUT!"

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Aang was bone-tired. After spending a day in the meeting room with the paranoid Fire Lord was very tiring. He was looking forward to going to bed with Mai. That was when he wasn't a husband, or a father, or the Avatar. Then, when he was sleeping, he was just Aang, a normal person who liked to sleep.

He stepped out so he could fly his glider, to help him relax.

He jumped into the air.

_Did Mai rescue Ty Lee and Azula yet? I'm a little worried about Azula._

**_Don't worry Aang. She's alright._**

_Was that Mai's voice?_

**_Mai's fine, she just went shopping for her arsenal._**

_Oh. Ok. I should go check on her._

**_Yes. That would be a good idea._**

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Adain was a little puzzled. Just a little. Why did Father, or stepfather, in this case, just leave without a word?

Oh. He probably went to check on Mom. That would make sense. He noticed a dark figure in the trees, and called out to Gyastso and Kaiya, "Let's go inside!"

"Sure," they answered.

What they did not know was that dark figure was an old enemy. One that just escaped from prison. One that glint mad golden eyes, and raven hair. One that was known as the cold-blooded flame.

_Azula._

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A/N: I think this chapter is okay, I think it's kind of choppy and disorganized. Tell me what you think.

Love it, hate it, don't care? Tell me. Review, please! I kinda need the encouragement.

Oh, and sorry for the long update gap. Schools is keeping me busy. Meh.

Oh, well. Look forward to the next update soon. Over Maikka Week, however, I won't update at all, because I'll be busy writing Maikka. Yay.

Good day,

Wingyin87

**You know you want to press that button.**


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